"Again."

Medea smirked, motioning for her to come. "That's more like it."

Selene lunged forward, her movements more precise and intentional this time. She aimed for Medea's shoulder, her blade slicing through the air. Medea parried the strike, but Selene was ready, twisting her wrist to redirect the momentum toward Medea's side.

For a brief moment, she saw a flicker of approval in Medea's eyes before the goddess spun away, using Selene's momentum against her.

Selene stumbled, and Medea seized the opening. A sharp kick to Selene's legs sent her sprawling once more, and Medea followed up with the flat of her blade against Selene's ribs.

The force sent Selene rolling across the dirt, her body aching from the repeated impacts.

She lay there for a moment, staring up at the canopy of trees. The pain was real, grounding, but it only served to stoke the fire inside her. Slowly, she got to her knees, her chest heaving.

"Again," she said through gritted teeth.

Medea's smirk widened. "Not bad. But you're still too slow."

***************

By the time Adrian found them, Selene was on her last legs. Her clothes were torn, her face streaked with dirt and sweat, and shallow cuts lined her arms and legs. She was panting heavily, her dagger trembling in her hand as she squared off against Medea.

"Selene!" Adrian's voice rang out.

Selene turned toward him, and in that moment of distraction, Medea struck. Her blade swept Selene's feet out from under her, and she pinned the younger woman to the ground with her boot.

"Never take your eyes off your opponent," Medea said in a firm voice, though not in an unkind manner.

Adrian stormed into the clearing. "What the hell is going on here?"

Selene pushed herself up, her voice hoarse. "I… asked her to train me."

"This isn't training," Adrian snapped, his eyes flashing as he turned to Medea. "She's bleeding!"

"She asked for this," Medea replied evenly, lowering her blade. "And she fought well—for someone holding back."

Adrian clenched his fists, his frustration evident. "She's not ready for this."

Selene, still on the ground, looked up at him, her silver eyes filled with determination. "I need to be," she said quietly. "I can't just rely on luck or whatever happened before. I need to know I can fight."

Adrian's expression softened slightly, but his concern remained. He knelt beside her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "We'll train you, Selene. Properly. But pushing yourself to the point of collapse won't help anyone."

Medea sheathed her blade, watching the exchange with crossed arms. "She's got potential," she said after a moment. "But you're right. She needs guidance, not punishment."

Selene nodded, her body trembling from exhaustion. "I'll do better next time."

Adrian helped her to her feet, gripping her steadily. "For now, rest. We'll figure this out together."

Medea stepped closer to Selene, her sharp gaze softening as she extended a hand. Black fire swirled around her fingers, glowing faintly as she pressed her palm against Selene's arm.

Warmth spread from the contact, and Selene gasped softly as her cuts and bruises began to mend.

The pain that had weighed her down subsided, leaving only a dull ache from exertion. Selene gazed at Medea, her silver eyes bright with gratitude. "Thank you," she said quietly.

Medea offered a faint smirk, brushing her hands off as though dusting them clean. "Don't thank me too much. If you push yourself this hard again without knowing your limits, I might not be so kind next time."

Adrian helped Selene to her feet, steadying her as she swayed slightly. "You've done enough for today," he said firmly. "We'll work on building your strength at a reasonable pace."

Selene nodded, clearly tired as she leaned against him for support.

The faint sound of crunching leaves caught their attention, and the group turned to see Lilith, Abyss, and Ava approaching through the trees.

Lilith's crimson eyes sparkled with mischief, but her expression betrayed a hint of concern. Abyss, meanwhile, looked as though she'd rather be anywhere else.

Medea raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you were all worried when you couldn't find us."

"You wish," Abyss replied flatly, her violet eyes narrowing. "As long as I have Adrian, the rest of you can go to hell for all I care."

"Touchy," Medea teased, crossing her arms. "So you do care. Well, except for Eris. Where is she, anyway?"

Ava sighed, adjusting her purse, which hung on her waist. "Knowing Eris? She's probably in the city square. Somewhere she can cause havoc."

Adrian pinched the bridge of his nose, a groan escaping him. "Unfortunately, we can't afford that kind of attention right now."

"Then why did we rent a big hotel?" Selene asked in a quiet but curious voice.

Ava grinned, tapping her temple. "Because the Shadow Court assassins will be expecting us to keep a low profile. They'll mostly monitor small inns and motels, hoping to catch us slipping. A big, extravagant place throws them off."

"Clever," Medea admitted, tilting her head.

"Clever or not, we can't let Eris make too much of a scene," Adrian said, his tone resolute. "Let's go."

********************

The streets of Grozh were bustling as ever when they entered the city. Vendors called out to passersby, and the smell of fresh-baked bread mingled with the sharp tang of metal from a nearby smithy.

The group moved carefully through the crowd, staying very aware of their surroundings.

It wasn't long before a commotion ahead caught their attention. Raised voices, shouts of anger, and the unmistakable sound of metal striking metal reached their ears.

"Found her," Lilith said dryly, a smirk tugging at her lips.

Adrian sighed. "Of course."

The group quickened their pace, following the noise to a bustling corner of the city square. The crowd parted reluctantly, murmurs of curiosity and alarm rippling through the bystanders.

In the center of the chaos stood Eris, her emerald eyes gleaming with excitement as she faced off against a group of armed men.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.